Archive for April, 2018

An art installation of five geodesic domes by Michael Pinsky have been set up within London’s Somerset House, with each pod simulating the air quality at a different location from across the globe – namely London, New Delhi, Sao Paolo, Beijing and Tautra (Norway). The installation allows visitors to walk through each pod and experience the air quality at these locations with varying levels of ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

The “Pollution Pods” exhibit will be on display at Somerset House from 18th to 25th April.

Waste Management NZ has opened the country’s first workshop dedicated to converting diesel trucks in to electric vehicles (EVs). The company plans to convert 20 of its national truck fleet by 2020. The first conversion is almost complete and the truck will be used to collect waste from Auckland Hospital.

The workshop is also open to other companies looking to transform their vehicles into EVs.

Waste Management managing director Tom Nickles says he is delighted to open the workshop in what is a major step forward for the company and electric vehicles in New Zealand.

“Our investment in the EV workshop will create a knowledge centre for EV conversion in New Zealand and will help us move towards our long term goal of a fleet of fully electric vehicles.” Nickles acknowledged their conversion partner, EMOSS, based in the Netherlands who provided the kitsets and knowledge for the team in Auckland to start completing conversions locally.

Waste Management announced its move towards a fleet of electric vehicles in September 2016 as part of its sustainability commitment. Since then the company has launched the Southern Hemisphere’s first sideloader electric truck for residential wheelie bin waste collections, which has started work on Christchurch streets. Another sideloader electric truck will soon be in operation in Auckland. This is in addition to the electric box body truck which started work in Auckland in November 2016.

Waste Management has also added more than 20 electric cars within its light fleet during this time.

Emission Impossible Ltd and Mote have collaborated to undertake a research project funded by New Zealand Transport Agency. The project aims to more accurately identify the emissions from on-road vehicles and fuel consumption in New Zealand rather than relying on data derived from overseas test drives. Twenty-eight types of cars and six different models of truck are being tested with an interest in the levels of pollutants in our atmosphere, particularly nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and toxic particles and the effects they’re having on our emissions targets.

To conduct the test, an analyser is installed in the back of the vehicle and reads its exhaust emission every second of the hour long test drive. Analysis of the results will help with setting emission standards, transport planning and monitoring high traffic areas where emissions may be close to failing World Health Organisation standards.

See the full news story on TVNZ’s website Emissions testing to provide data on vehicles in NZ.